1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drying and more particularly to the improved holder for coupling a glove to an air vent that discharges airflow for drying the glove.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of drying devices have been proposed by the prior art for removing moisture from a glove. Moisture may accumulate within a glove from perspiration of the wearer or from the surrounding environment such as precipitation. If a high moisture contents is allowed to remain for prolonged periods, the glove may sustain permanent damage. In addition, a glove with high moisture content may not function properly. Furthermore, the wearer may incur an injury from utilizing a glove with high moisture content.
One method of removing the moisture from a glove includes placing the glove in an environment wherein in the surrounding atmosphere contains less moisture than the glove. The surrounding atmosphere absorbs the moisture within the glove and displacing the moisture from the glove to the surrounding atmosphere. However, this method requires prolonged time periods. The following U.S. Patents are examples of attempt of the prior art to solve these problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,913 to Wallin, et al. discloses a method and device for drying gloves, particularly golf gloves, comprises a drying member shaped to resemble a human hand. The drying member is sufficiently rigid such that the golf glove is inserted thereon and retained in an open orientation substantially conforming to the orientation in which the glove is normally worn on a human hand. However, the drying member is also semi-resilient such that the drying member may be temporarily deformed inwardly to allow the glove to be removed therefrom. In one embodiment, the drying member is hollow having a plurality of perforations therein. This allows ambient air or a drying medium, such as heated air, to be circulated from the interior of the drying member into contact with the glove for the purpose of drying the glove.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,756 to Benjamin discloses a device for drying wet gloves or mittens or for drying portions of other wet clothing having inside openings therein which are substantially circular in cross-section and which are of a depth of at least about three inches. The device is a hollow cylindrical dryer or is slightly tapered from cylindrical to slightly conically shaped. The main portion of the dryer between its ends preferably consists of a grid of many square or diamond shaped ventilation holes to facilitate evaporation of moisture. The dryer can be made of flexible plastic material and molded into its final shape (and also into such a shape that a number of said dryers can be “nested” inside each other); or the dryer can be molded in an essentially planar condition and then forced by the user into its shape described above, by slight exertion of hand pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,565 to Willenbacher, Jr. discloses a glove drying frame configured as a human hand is formed of a wire mesh hollow body to accommodate a glove thereon, with the hollow body mounting a support clip to a wrist portion of the hollow body to permit suspension of the hollow body permitting free-flow of drying air to be directed interiorly of the hollow body. The invention further includes a mounting framework for support of a plurality of hollow bodies permitting directing of a drying medium within the hollow bodies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,717 to Dofka discloses a compact, break apart drying rack for utility gloves includes a drain basin for collection of fluid and moisture drips, said drain basin having a pour off flange for disposal of accumulated liquid. Situated on the floor of the drain basin are two pylons which serve as bases for vertical support rods comprised of two hollow, telescoping tubes with adjustment holes for aligning and clamping into expanding or reducing position, said clamping means completed with spread ring discs which serve two purposes: to connect with and maintain vertical rod position and to spread open utility glove surfaces for drying internally and externally. Positioning the utility gloves on the drying rack permits air drying of utility gloves thereby destroying pathogens present on wet gloves, preserves the quality of the glove material, avoids contamination to the work site by eliminating pooling of fluids on wet gloves deposited on counter tops. The break apart feature permits each member of the drying rack to be placed into the autoclave chamber for periodic total sterilization and protection against cross contamination for the operator, work site or patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,515 to Schulte discloses a light weight, portable, and totally self contained unit for drying footwear, gloves and the like. A motor driven fan is energized by a battery pack by way of a switch to draw in air and through ports in a housing and to direct the air into a Y-divider and through two discharge tubes and into the item requiring drying.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,993 to Auckerman discloses devices and methods for drying the inside surfaces of gloves. The glove drying devices include a perforated hollow drying form in the shape of a hand. A tube is mounted to the inside of the drying form in order to improve the air flow into the interior of the form. A heating means is provided for mounting inside the tube in order to heat the air which flows into the drying form and to enhance the air flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,518 to Ellenburg discloses a golf glove drying attachment for a golf cart or a golf bag, intended to improve air circulation through the glove while the user is on the golf course. The glove drying attachment includes a slightly tapered shell for holding the glove, and a clamp for attaching to a golf cart. As the golf cart is driven, wind from the golf cart dries the glove. Alternatively, the shell may include a battery powered fan, and attach to a golf bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,227 to Jacobson discloses a sports glove drying device. In one embodiment, an accessory allows attachment of gloves to a vehicle. The aerodynamic drag of the wind against the vehicle during the vehicle's movement speeds up the drying of the gloves. In a further embodiment, an accessory for adhering to a vehicle, existing tags or so forth, allowing any surface to be utilized for drying the gloves. In further embodiments, the accessory includes a receptacle for interchanging promotional material therein. In a preferred embodiment, the accessories are used with golf gloves and can be attached to a golf cart. In alternate embodiments, the accessories can be used with any other sporting activity using gloves, such as bicycling, baseball, or so forth.
U.S. Patent Application 20020138953 to Passafiume discloses a golf glove holder adapted to be mounted to a golf cart frame member. The golf glove holder includes a main body and an attachment member affixed to the main body for attachment of the golf glove holder to the golf cart body frame member. The main body of the golf glove holder is preferably cylindrical and includes a golf glove holder at one end of the main body. The golf glove holder is configured to releasably hold an interior wrist sweat band of a golf glove along at least a portion of an outer circumference of the main body such that air flowing through the main body is directed into the glove. Preferably, the golf glove holder comprises a strip of nylon hook material adhesively affixed to an outer circumference of one end of the main body. The nylon hook material strip is adapted to releasably hold the golf glove wrist sweat band. The main body is preferably a length of PVC plastic pipe having a outer diameter of 2⅜ inches and a length of 2½ inches. The attachment member is affixed to the main body and includes a clamp portion for attachment to a tubular frame portion of the golf car. Preferably the clamp portion is C-shaped in cross section with flexible extending arms adapted to wrap around a portion of the frame. An adjustable strap extends between the extending arms to force the arms against the frame thereby securing the golf glove holder to the golf cart frame.
U.S. Patent Application 20030213144 to Jacobson discloses a sports glove drying device. In one embodiment, an accessory allows attachment of gloves to a vehicle. The aerodynamic drag of the wind against the vehicle during the vehicle's movement speeds up the drying of the gloves. In a further embodiment, an accessory for adhering to a vehicle, existing tags or so forth, allowing any surface to be utilized for drying the gloves. In further embodiments, the accessory includes a receptacle for interchanging promotional material therein. In a preferred embodiment, the accessories are used with golf gloves and can be attached to a golf cart. In alternate embodiments, the accessories can be used with any other sporting activity using gloves, such as bicycling, baseball, or so forth.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art for drying a glove, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved glove drying device for reducing the time needed to remove the moisture within the glove.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved glove drying device that may secured to an airflow device.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved glove drying device that may secured to more than one type of airflow device.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved glove drying device is that easily operated.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.